A doctor-couple in the capital’s Hatirpool area was burnt in a hand-sanitizer explosion in-contact-to fire on Tuesday night.
The victims were identified as Dr. Rajib Bhattacharya, 36, a doctor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, and his wife Dr. Anusuya Bhattacharya, 32, is the Registrar of Shyamoli Central Medical Ophthalmology Department.
The couple’s relatives said the blast took place on Tuesday night. According to them, Rajib was hailed from Eastgram of Cumilla Debidwar upazila and his wife Anusuya from Sylhet. They live with only daughter Rajshree Bhattacharya, 5, on the 3rd floor of a house behind Hatirpul Eastern Plaza. Rajib is the youngest child and only son of Lakshman Bhattacharya.
Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute Coordinator Dr. Samanta Lal Sen said that 87 percent of Rajib’s body including his trachea was burnt and 20 percent of his wife. Rajib has been taken to life support. His condition is critical. The wife’s condition is also serious. As far as I have heard, the incident took place when the hand sanitizer came in contact with the fire inside the house, the doctor added also.
Rajib’s friend Dr. Sudip Dey said Rajib was pouring hand sanitizer from a big bottle into a small bottle at home around 1.30 am on Tuesday. When the sanitizer fell from the bottle, his body caught fire on contact with a cigarette or a mosquito coil. Seeing that, his wife probably went to save him and she was also burnt. Later, the tenants in the area around rescued them and admitted them to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery at night.
Burnt Dr. Rajib’s cousin Tapu Bhattacharya said they were husband and wife and daughter, and Rajib’s father lived in the house. Their daughter Rajshree was sent Bhattacharya to her grandmother in Cumilla around 3 weeks ago.
